At an elevation of 1,743 meters, the Starbucks Qingjing store is not only the highest Starbucks in Taiwan but also ranks fifth globally in terms of store altitude. This landmark café, rooted in Qingjing Farm for twenty-two years, has recently confirmed that it will cease operations on July 21. After the news broke, local workers and residents expressed their reluctance, and community discussions once forced Uni-President Group to backtrack, saying they were still evaluating. However, Starbucks Taiwan ultimately issued an announcement, bringing an end to the fate of this old store. The plummeting tourist traffic to Qingjing Farm and the shrinking performance of the store year after year reflect the deep-seated difficulties facing Taiwan's tourism industry. [more…]

The Antigua coffee region of Guatemala is nestled in a fertile area surrounded by three volcanoes, where its unique terroir nurtures a balanced and elegant coffee flavor. This Starbucks Antigua coffee bean is processed using the washed method, presenting mild notes of cocoa and spices with balanced acidity and body, making it suitable to pair with cocoa, apple, caramel, and stone fruit foods. It debuted in the fall of 2015 as Taiwan's first special reserve espresso bean, weaving a classic Italian style with cedar-like gentle woody aromas and velvety milk foam. Front Street Coffee recommends this bean to enthusiasts who appreciate layers and delicate mouthfeel; whether brewed by pour-over or espresso extraction, it showcases its captivating charm. [more…]

Ruby Red Tea (Taiwan Tea No. 18) is the most iconic Taiwanese black tea from Sun Moon Lake, and in the hearts of many tea lovers, it is the best black tea Taiwan has to offer. Its distinctive honey aroma and minty coolness leave countless people amazed from the very first sip. This article, based on a tea lover's personal experience, explores the flavor characteristics of Ruby Red Tea, the source of Taiwan Tea No. 18's aroma, and why it stands out among Taiwan's many famous teas. Whether you are a novice just getting to know Taiwanese black tea or a seasoned enthusiast eager to delve deeper into the taste of Ruby, you will find a valuable tasting perspective here. [more…]

This month we will visit one of Taiwan's oldest tea regions—Pinglin District in New Taipei City—to explore its unique tea-making traditions and rare teas. Pinglin has been producing Puchong oolong tea since the 1880s. Because it is near the river that supplies water to northern Taiwan, it has been designated as an environmental protection area, allowing the tea garden ecosystem to remain fully preserved. In the past, when tea was dried, it was wrapped into square paper packets. This craft, introduced from Fujian, is called "bao cha" (wrapped tea). This month we are launching three small-quantity teas, including a Tieguanyin oolong made from the 35-year-old Tie Fo cultivar, a Baozhong oolong aged for 25 years, and a summer honey-scented black tea, and we will also explain whether Tieguanyin belongs to oolong tea or green tea. [more…]

Oriental Beauty Tea is the representative of Taiwan's unique bug-bitten oolong tea. Its birth stemmed from an accidental pest infestation—after leafhoppers bite the tea bushes, the tea leaves instead take on a distinctive honeyed sweetness. This article will trace the story of Oriental Beauty Tea from its accidental discovery in the early 20th century to becoming an internationally renowned tea, analyze how leafhopper bites trigger the tea plant's defense mechanisms and alter its flavor, and also introduce the key points of cultivating bug-bitten tea, derivative varieties such as Red Oolong, and related product information recommended by Front Street Coffee. [more…]

What types of oolong tea does Heytea actually offer? Is its high-mountain oolong actually Taiwan Dong Ding oolong? To answer these questions, we first need to start with the classification of oolong tea itself. Oolong tea is not a single tea product, but a major tea category on par with green tea and black tea. Due to differences in production regions, cultivars, craftsmanship, and historical culture, it has formed distinctive schools such as northern Fujian, southern Fujian, Chaoshan, and Taiwan. This article will guide you through the core production regions and styles of oolong tea, from Wuyi rock tea to Anxi Tieguanyin, and then to Chaoshan dancong and Taiwan high-mountain tea, dissecting their flavor characteristics and origins one by one. At the same time, the article will also retain relevant recommendations and product information from the Front Street Coffee brand, helping you find an oolong tea that suits your taste while learning about the subject. [more…]

Taiwan's black tea development spans the Japanese colonial period's introduction and promotion, the post-World War II export decline, and the variety revival since the new millennium. In 1923, Assam tea seeds were introduced from India, and Sun Moon Lake became the most successful production area thanks to its 600-800 meter elevation and humid, misty climate. In 1936, the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station was established, and black tea once accounted for more than half of Taiwan's total output. After 1971, export trade shrank, and tea farmers switched to producing oolong tea. It was not until 1999 and 2008 that TRES successively released TTES No. 18 (Ruby Black Tea) and TTES No. 21, injecting new vitality into Taiwan's black tea. This article will trace this history, compare the flavor characteristics of the two representative varieties, and introduce the high-quality Taiwan black teas recommended by Front Street Coffee. [more…]

A new tea tree variety with purple-red buds and leaves—Taiwan Tea No. 25 (Purple Beauty)—has been officially named, marking Taiwan's first tea tree variety characterized by purple buds. Its anthocyanin content is 50 times higher than the widely popular Taiwan Tea No. 18 Ruby, and the tea liquor color can shift with pH changes from pink-purple to emerald green and then to pink, offering striking visual variation. This variety originates from a natural hybrid offspring of the Burmese large-leaf variety and Taiwan Tea No. 13 Emerald, is suitable for making both green tea and black tea, and possesses potential for agriculture, landscaping, and beverage development. Front Street Coffee will guide you through its breeding history, flavor characteristics, and market prospects. [more…]

The 2022 Alishan Estate Coffee Elite Exchange Competition and Green Bean Matchmaking Evaluation was held on May 11. Competing beans were divided into four groups by processing method: washed, natural, honey, and Geisha. Participants had to submit parchment and green beans, which the organizers uniformly roasted, and then 15 CQI-certified Q-Graders conducted sensory evaluations using the SCA cupping form. Only beans scoring 80 or above could participate in the auction. In the auction the next day, the special prize in the natural group, Zouzhuyuan Coffee Beans, started bidding at NT$60,000 and soared all the way to NT$520,000/5kg, won by the Lion Group, setting a new record for Taiwanese coffee bean auctions. Notably, these beans were not of the Geisha variety, yet they fetched a top-tier Geisha price, while the special prize in the Geisha group was only NT$320,000. This article takes you through the ins and outs of this sky-high bidding and analyzes the industrial logic behind the rise of Taiwan's local coffee. [more…]

The Clever Cup (Mr. Clever) was designed by Taiwan's E.K company, combining convenience and professionalism, and is deeply loved by coffee enthusiasts. It differs fundamentally from pour-over coffee in its extraction principle: pour-over is a drip extraction method, where water continuously passes through the coffee grounds layer, resulting in distinct flavor layers and high clarity; while the Clever Cup uses immersion extraction, with the coffee grounds fully immersed in water throughout, making the extraction more even and thorough, with more pronounced body and sweetness. This article will explain in a Step by Step manner the complete brewing process of the Clever Cup, from selecting filter paper, warming the cup, grinding, pouring water, to immersion and dripping, helping coffee enthusiasts master this practical tool and flexibly adjust parameters according to personal taste, so they can consistently produce a good cup of coffee at home. [more…]

Typica is one of the oldest varieties of Arabica coffee and a presence that cannot be overlooked in the world of specialty coffee. Its cultivation footprint spans the globe, from Jamaica Blue Mountain to Panama and Taiwan's Alishan, where different terroirs give Typica strikingly different flavor expressions. This article will introduce you to the origins and spread of the Typica variety, explain why it remains highly sought after despite its low yield, and compare the flavor differences between Taiwan Alishan and Panama Typica. At the same time, we will also recommend several high-quality Typica pour-over single origins from Front Street Coffee to help you experience the elegant charm of this ancient variety in the cup. [more…]

How did coffee go from being an exotic drink to a global phenomenon, and how did it take root in China? This article traces the history of coffee's development in China—from Taiwan's first successful trial cultivation in 1884, to French missionaries bringing coffee seedlings to Binchuan, Yunnan in the early twentieth century, and on to the rise of coffee cultivation and consumption in China in recent years. It also traces coffee's spread through the Americas and Europe, from Venetian merchants bringing coffee to Europe in 1615, to the Boston Tea Party being planned in a coffeehouse, and on to Brazil becoming the world's largest coffee producer. Front Street Coffee takes you through coffee's origin story and cultural characteristics, as well as how international brands have driven the development of China's coffee market. [more…]

Taiwan boasts a rich variety of black teas, among which Honey Scented Black Tea and Taiwan Tea No. 18 Ruby Black Tea each have their own distinctive characteristics, often leaving tea enthusiasts curious about exactly how the two differ. Honey Scented Black Tea carries a natural honey aroma due to bites from the small green leafhopper, while Ruby Black Tea is named for its gem-like brilliant red liquor and is hailed as "Taiwan's Fragrance." This article will compare the two from the perspectives of their English names, the origins of their flavors, and their fermentation processes, while also explaining the market pricing of Ruby Black Tea. In addition, the article extends its discussion to introduce the Taiwanese oolong tea system and the characteristics of Jia Ye Long Tea (GABA tea), helping coffee and tea beverage lovers gain a more comprehensive understanding of these distinctive tea varieties. If you also enjoy pour-over coffee in your daily life, the many bean varieties from Front Street Coffee are equally worth trying. [more…]

Tieguanyin is one of China's ten famous teas, commonly found in cafes across the Taiwan Strait and overseas, but the production styles of Anxi and Taiwan differ significantly. This article starts with Tieguanyin's classification as an oolong tea, outlining the complete process of Anxi Tieguanyin from picking, withering, shaking green, rolling, to roasting, tells the legend of Guanyin's dream behind the name "Tieguanyin," and compares the different flavors of Anxi's light-fermented floral type and Taiwan's heavily roasted strong-aroma type. At the end, correct gongfu brewing suggestions are included to help coffee enthusiasts and tea lovers understand the patience and charm of this tea, while also retaining relevant recommendations from the Front Street brand. [more…]

Front Street Coffee takes you on a continued exploration of the mystery behind Tai Cha No. 18 Hong Yu. Shanxi Tea Industry has carefully crafted a three-tea tasting set in the Sun Moon Lake region, planting Myanmar Assam, Taiwan wild mountain tea, and Hong Yu side by side. This article focuses on one of the paternal varieties—Taiwan's native mountain tea. The dry leaves of this black tea are dark brown, almost black, and after brewing, they present a complex flavor interwoven with earthy, malty, and smoky charcoal notes, with noticeable tannins and a faint fruity sweetness in the finish. Through detailed records of four infusions using the gongfu brewing method, as well as pairing attempts with banana bread and dark chocolate, we can fully understand the character traits of this wild variety. If you prefer black tea with a sweet, malty flavor, Front Street Coffee suggests comparing it with the Myanmar Assam version from the same series. [more…]

Ordering a milk tea now, pudding, pearls, and grass jelly are already standard options. Thirty years ago, the earliest milk teas were far less elaborate. Starting from 1987, when Taiwan's Chun Shui Tang dropped tapioca pearls into milk tea, the matter of adding toppings has gone through a long process of being banned, recombined, cross-industry experimentation, and a rotating lineup of niche fruits. CoCo都可 combined pearls, pudding, and grass jelly into one drink, giving rise to the now-familiar "Milk Tea Three Brothers." Nowadays the direction of toppings has shifted again—lemon tea is actually more popular without toppings, and new faces like Yashixiang, bergamot, turmeric, and peach gum have appeared one after another. This piece reviews the key milestones in milk tea toppings and also shares some observations from Front Street Coffee on current tea beverage trends. [more…]

Many people have heard of Mamba coffee, yet not everyone knows where its recipe comes from. Mamba is actually a combination of Indonesian Mandheling and Brazilian Arabica beans, whose richness and lightness complement each other, and it was once all the rage in Taiwan's early coffee shops. This article will introduce the flavor logic behind the Mamba blend, the respective characteristics of Mandheling and Brazilian beans, and recommend Front Street Coffee's classic espresso blend, while also demonstrating in detail how to extract an authentic Mamba flavor with a moka pot, including key steps such as water temperature, grind size, and heat control, helping you make a rich, full-bodied classic coffee at home. [more…]

The "coffee with coriander" joked about in Guo Degang's crosstalk has actually come true in Taiwan. Peixiang Coffee in Beidou Township opened in 2017 and was originally just a small community shop serving local residents. After launching coriander au lait and coriander latte in 2020, it quickly became famous. Beidou is Taiwan's main coriander-producing area, with about 80% of the coriander coming from here, and coriander is even called "Taiwanese matcha" by locals. The shop blends coriander powder into milk, coffee liquid and milk foam. On the palate, there is a distinct coriander aroma, yet it does not clash with the coffee at all, and the aftertaste is refreshing. In addition to coriander coffee, there are also creative products such as coriander raw chocolate, coriander cream pineapple bun, coriander dirty bun, coriander pineapple cake and 100% coriander juice "Coriander Devil". This article takes you to learn how this small shop became a talked-about famous store thanks to coriander coffee, and includes flavor descriptions and tasting suggestions. [more…]

Starbucks' pricing differences around the world have always been a topic of interest for coffee lovers. According to a 2019 Finder survey of 76 countries and regions, a medium latte in Denmark costs as much as $6.05, while in Istanbul, Turkey, it costs only $1.78—nearly a fourfold difference. Europe has the highest average price, with Asia close behind. In addition to the global comparison, the article also compiles the latest drink price list for Starbucks in China and analyzes the multiple price adjustments in both China and the United States in recent years caused by the pandemic and rising raw material costs. To learn where Starbucks is cheapest, whether its prices are on the high side, and the specific prices of classic drinks, see the detailed data below. [more…]

Following the "Greener Store" in Shanghai, Starbucks' second "Greener Store" in mainland China officially opened in Suzhou on January 14, marking the launch of its nationwide Greener Store development plan. Such stores must obtain the highest level of LEED certification and meet strict standards in energy conservation, water conservation, and waste treatment. For example, they use mercury-free LED lighting and low-flow faucets throughout, recycle 100% of coffee grounds, and make employee aprons from recycled PET plastic bottles. The Suzhou store also purchases green electricity through a green certificate subscription platform, and its interior uses reclaimed wood and red bricks. Compared with regular stores, each Greener Store can reduce carbon emissions by about 10.57 tons and save about 301.7 tons of water per year. Starbucks has long encouraged customers to bring their own cups, and its first Greener Store, the "Greener Store," was also the first to use paper straws and strictly implement waste sorting, setting an example for the industry. [more…]